GarageBand - Many podcasters already use GarageBand for setting up their podcasts but then need to resort to FTP clients and RSS/XML generators to finish the job.
.Mac could get a huge boast and justify it's very existence by having GarageBand upload podcasts entirely created within the application (using your existing iTunes library as well as purchasing music for broadcasting with extended rebroadcasting rights at a higher fee) and then have .Mac generate the XML and assign it to the iTunes Music Store's podcasting section.
FrontRow - Of course it's going to happen. Everybody knows iLife '06 will include FrontRow. It was made to work with all the iLife apps. Bundling a Bluetooth remote with iLife '06 would be the way to go and would, as suggested above, justify a higher $99 pricepoint.
If FrontRow is released like this, for use on all Macs, I will buy a Mac Mini exclusively for this reason.
Using a MacMini connected via S-Video to my TV is a dream come true in a seemless and complete availability of all my media. I would use the MacMini (connected to a 250GB LaCie drive) as a hub where all my iLife content (music, videos, photos) would be available to use via my PowerBook and viewable with a remote on my TV when I'm simply relaxing and not expecting/wanting to use a computer.
iTunes7 - Gapless playback in both iTunes and the iPod (why can't they release this already?? How big of a challenge is it really?).
Another big wish I've had for iTunes since its inception was the ability to add "Collaborative Artists". I want to be able to have a Bryan Adams song credited under Bryan Adams and then add a collaborative artist as Mel C. Both artists would be searcheable for this song without creating a seperate new artist named "Bryan Adams feat. Mel C".
The same goes for Genres. Multiple Genres is a must as some songs fall under many genre categories. A "Rock" song can also be a "Soundtrack" or a "Pop" song can also be "Italian".
If you want to get into more "I wish it were true, but probably won't happen" territory, iTunes could expand to become a Karaoke jukebox. (imagine how popular an iMac or mac Mini would become in Asia!). Lyrics already have a place in iTunes metadata, and the newer iPods already display this information, it would be simple to add a Visualizer with the lyrics. Adding a bouncing ball would complete the karaoke experience but for that, content providers would need to add the lyrics themselves, in sync with the music.
iWeb - The best for last! What's missing from the iLife family? An Apple style website and blogging App!
Imagine a simple to use website creator. Other 3rd applications have shown it can be done without all the fluff of Dreamweaver and GoLive!.
Leverage interoperability of iLife apps like iPhoto and iMovie (and the above mentioned Podcast friendly GarageBand) , add blogging functionality and you're giving browser based Blogger.com and other popular blogging websites a big run for their money.
Apple could again take their .Mac power and give it more value through this new and essential application.
And that's my wish list/predictions for iLife '06. Never have I anticipated the arrival of January as much as when I became a Mac user and lover.
.Mac could get a huge boast and justify it's very existence by having GarageBand upload podcasts entirely created within the application (using your existing iTunes library as well as purchasing music for broadcasting with extended rebroadcasting rights at a higher fee) and then have .Mac generate the XML and assign it to the iTunes Music Store's podcasting section.
FrontRow - Of course it's going to happen. Everybody knows iLife '06 will include FrontRow. It was made to work with all the iLife apps. Bundling a Bluetooth remote with iLife '06 would be the way to go and would, as suggested above, justify a higher $99 pricepoint.
If FrontRow is released like this, for use on all Macs, I will buy a Mac Mini exclusively for this reason.
Using a MacMini connected via S-Video to my TV is a dream come true in a seemless and complete availability of all my media. I would use the MacMini (connected to a 250GB LaCie drive) as a hub where all my iLife content (music, videos, photos) would be available to use via my PowerBook and viewable with a remote on my TV when I'm simply relaxing and not expecting/wanting to use a computer.
iTunes7 - Gapless playback in both iTunes and the iPod (why can't they release this already?? How big of a challenge is it really?).
Another big wish I've had for iTunes since its inception was the ability to add "Collaborative Artists". I want to be able to have a Bryan Adams song credited under Bryan Adams and then add a collaborative artist as Mel C. Both artists would be searcheable for this song without creating a seperate new artist named "Bryan Adams feat. Mel C".
The same goes for Genres. Multiple Genres is a must as some songs fall under many genre categories. A "Rock" song can also be a "Soundtrack" or a "Pop" song can also be "Italian".
If you want to get into more "I wish it were true, but probably won't happen" territory, iTunes could expand to become a Karaoke jukebox. (imagine how popular an iMac or mac Mini would become in Asia!). Lyrics already have a place in iTunes metadata, and the newer iPods already display this information, it would be simple to add a Visualizer with the lyrics. Adding a bouncing ball would complete the karaoke experience but for that, content providers would need to add the lyrics themselves, in sync with the music.
iWeb - The best for last! What's missing from the iLife family? An Apple style website and blogging App!
Imagine a simple to use website creator. Other 3rd applications have shown it can be done without all the fluff of Dreamweaver and GoLive!.
Leverage interoperability of iLife apps like iPhoto and iMovie (and the above mentioned Podcast friendly GarageBand) , add blogging functionality and you're giving browser based Blogger.com and other popular blogging websites a big run for their money.
Apple could again take their .Mac power and give it more value through this new and essential application.
And that's my wish list/predictions for iLife '06. Never have I anticipated the arrival of January as much as when I became a Mac user and lover.
